Oakland's Dood, Milwaukee's Golabowski Win Volleyball Weekly Honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Oakland freshman Jessica Dood has been named Horizon League Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Milwaukee junior Taylor Golabowski has earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for the period of Nov. 4-10.

Dood played an error-free match on Friday night as Oakland swept Wright State to win its third consecutive League match. The Grandville, Mich., native was the only player to reach double-digit in kills during Friday’s match, finishing with a match-high 12 in 20 attempts. Dood’s .600 hitting percentage is the third-highest hitting percentage in a League match (minimum 12 kills).

Oakland (13-14, 7-5) has won five of its last six matches and enters the final week of the regular season in a three-way tie for third-place. The Golden Grizzlies have clinched a spot in the six-team Horizon League volleyball tournament at the end of the season, but still have two League matches remaining this week. Oakland will end the regular season with meetings against UIC (8-20, 3-9) and Valparaiso (23-6, 9-3).

Golabowski became the first Horizon League player this season to win Defensive Player of the Week honors twice after recording a match-high 25 digs in Milwaukee’s 3-1 win over Green Bay on Saturday. She averaged 6.25 digs per set and helped lead a Panther defense that limited the Phoenix to a .174 hitting clip, while forcing 25 errors.

The win clinched at least a share of the regular season title for the Panthers and also clinched the No. 1 seed in the Horizon League Tournament.

Milwaukee (15-9, 11-1) has two matches left in the regular season and needs one win to clinch the regular season title outright. The Panthers play at Youngstown State (15-12, 7-5) and end the regular season on Saturday at Cleveland State (14-11, 4-8).

Other Top Performers for the Week:
Jillian Bauer, Green Bay (So., L) - Bauer had a team-high 21 digs and five assists against Milwaukee.
Alexis Egler, Youngstown State (Jr., OH) - Egler averaged 3.56 kills and 4.33 digs per set for the Penguins last week. She had 15 kills and 17 digs versus UIC and 17 kills and 22 digs in YSU’s win over Valpo. The win over Valpo was YSU’s first win against the Crusaders since 2007.
Mikaela Gunderson, Green Bay (So., MB) - Gunderson had a team-high 14 kills on a .344 hitting percentage against Milwaukee.
Ali Gutschow, Oakland (Fr., DS) - Gutschow had 10 digs and two service aces in Oakland’s win over Wright State on Friday.
Maggie Hannon, Cleveland State (Jr., MH) - Hannon had a team-high 16 kills against UIC. It was her sixth 15-kill match of the season. She hit .414 against the Flames (16-4-29).
Morganne Longoria, Valparaiso (Fr., L) - Longoria averaged nearly seven digs a set for the week. She led all players with 25 digs in a sweep of Cleveland State and had 30 digs in Valpo’s five-setter against Youngstown State.
Rachel Neuberger, Milwaukee (Sr., MB) - Neuberger had 12 kills and just one error as Milwaukee clinched the regular season title at Green Bay on Saturday. She passed 1,000 career kills in the win.
Sara Sternard, UIC (Jr., MH) - Sternard had a career-high 19 kills against Loyola and passed over 700 career kills in the match.
Maggie Strus, UIC (Jr., DS) - Strus had match-highs in two of UIC’s matches last week. She led all players with 23 digs against Loyola and 18 digs against Youngstown State.
Ellen Vanden Berg, Valparaiso (Sr., MH) - Vanden Berg hit .464 with a season-high 14 kills to lead Valparaiso to a sweep of Cleveland State. She also picked up six blocks against the Vikings.

Horizon League Offensive Players of the Week:
Aug. 26 - Sarah Dooms, Valparaiso
Sept. 2 - Leah Van Zeeland, Green Bay
Sept. 9 - Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Sept. 16 - Maggie Hannon, Cleveland State
Sept. 23 - Missy Hundelt, Youngstown State
Sept. 30 - Cassie Pelloni, Oakland
Oct. 7 - Sara Sternard, UIC
Oct. 14 - Rachel Neuberger, Milwaukee
Oct. 21 - Kayla Price, Milwaukee
Oct. 28 - Taylor Kasal, Green Bay
Nov. 4 - Jessica Dood, Oakland

Horizon League Defensive Players of the Week:
Aug. 26 - Katie Mroczenski, Green Bay
Sept. 2 - Kelsey Victor, Valparaiso      
Sept. 9 - Nikki Holmes, Cleveland State
Sept. 16 - Aly Ryan, Youngstown State
Sept. 23 - Rachel Neuberger, Milwaukee
Sept. 30 - Taylor Golabowski, Milwaukee
Oct. 7 - Erika West, Youngstown State
Oct. 14 - Ellen Vanden Berg, Valparaiso
Oct. 21 - Jenna Cavanaugh, Youngstown State    
Oct. 28 - Jillian Bauer, Green Bay
Nov. 4 - Taylor Golabowski, Milwaukee